Alladin- Hillcrest

The magic carpet has landed once again at hillcrest's Alladin. Make room for the prince of Persia, time and time again, the food is high quality, good consistency and rather healthy.

Now here's what we call a proper chicken salad. The Mediterranean salad with chicken comes as leafy romaine, Persian cucumber slices, ripe tomatoes, crumbled feta cheese with roasted chicken strips of wholehearted chicken all dressed in an olive oil based lemon dressing sprinkled with a little sumac (a dark red Arabic spice that brings a roasted smokiness to it) and pepper ... Delicious:



A close up of the sumac.. Live this stuff on hummous, tzatziki or salad:


Fresh warm pita:


A full tabuleh for the grain and lemon flavor always fresh:


An the hummous, topped with olive oil... Can't stop pita dipping!


With a nice little outdoor sitting area, this local spot hits the spot... All you need now is a genie lamp and 3 wishes...lol


- Posted using mobile cam.. Eating and blogging on the go, excuse spelling mistakes :)

Grant grill- SD

On the run for a theatre production, drama... Where to stop? Grant grill offers a cool decor, with tasty bites for the adventurous yet reserved crowd.

Kobe beef sliders, medium rare, served on, omg, white enriched bread!


The chicken salad was fantastic, except for the chopped chicken:


Squash blossoms were fantastically crisp:


Onto the production!

Flavors unite...benetton taste competition

Where's the benetton commercial for food? In it's absence, after a horrific food experience at a local place, we decided to insource. (TBP.. To be posted ..lol)

Who says that surf n'turf has to be steak and fish? Tongue and cheek fanatics crave the beef cheek and bay scallops dishes or the lobster claws and tenderloins.... Well here's one for the mix.. Andalusian sausage with basil and pesto and mahi mahi brought together with a sizzling popping roasted tomatoe and Mediterranean flavored olive oil with oregano, tanginess of white balsamic vinegar and garlic:



Yeah baby, sizzling little tomatoes pop with burning juices... Hearty but yet light....hmmm

A little veggie mix goes east: cauliflower and broccoli embrace the spices of turmeric, cumin and pepper, dance in a splash of soy and melt the night away in Spanish olive oil, French sea salt and good 'ol American black pepper.

Brought together with a touch of the south... South of the border that is... Spinach leaves touched with a habanero lime salsa.. The acid blends perfectly with hearty fish and spicy veggies:


As the flavors synergize to new levels of excitement, a bodied cab brought the circle to completion:


Dark ruby in color, legs to kill , emanates aromas of cinnamon and sweet chocolate and clove Yum... And leather!...Funny thing is, when you hear of wine snobs describe the taste of leather and you cock your head like a confused beagle as the thought of leather brings on a twisted S&M scene that doesn't compute with wine, have to say, there's a bit of leather aftertaste.. Lovely treasure from the Queen... Enjoyed wholeheartedly!!

Benetton taste commercial, shoot 189

- Posted using mobile cam.. Eating and blogging on the go, excuse spelling mistakes :)

Flatbreadurrito

Flatbread burritos or aram-ini's (aram sandwhich gone panini... Lol) are a fabulous way to roll up complementary flavors. Grill it, bake it, toast or just roll with it, the combinations are practically endless.

Opening the fridge is always an adventure. Spontaniety, creativity and practicality all fuel the adrenaline rush. Cooked turkey with mushrooms and roasted tomatoes with spinach welcomed the mozzarella into the party:


Garlic dusted wheat lavash bread, a little oregano and Spanish olive oil took the party inside:


That's a little mushroom sticking out of the back... With a strawberry and spinach salad drizzled with a fig balsamic and a side of roasted yellow and red pepper salsa, this rolled flatbread just said booyah to the imitators...


Move over chipotle, the Pan and iron skillet is moving in :)

- Posted using mobile cam.. Eating and blogging on the go, excuse spelling mistakes :)

Wrap me up with a bottle of happiness

Pressed for time and inner gods were screaming for some food, a little lavash bread with oregano and paprika, ground turkey basted with mustard, onions, garlic and pepper. Melted in harmony with a little mozzarella coated in Spanish olive oil. Topped with roasted tomatoes, the smoky flavors of the Mediterranean and American goodness just said eat me:


A mango and curried chicken spinach salad with quijote seeds complemented the wrap:


Put together, delicious:


A little experiment selected the mystery bottle.. A young spicy oreano bottle, a bled of some sort... Would you try this:


When in doubt, a bottle of happiness is around the corner:


A new little dessert combo of soy vanilla ice cream, lemon sorbet and lemon custard with blueberries... Little smooth dancing party like the old soul train!



- Posted using mobile cam.. Eating and blogging on the go, excuse spelling mistakes :)

Grilling action

The sun finally broke the clouds of san Diego, poolside, grill and food brought the party together.

Grilled chicken marinaded in garlic, oregano, thyme, cumin and special spices sizzled under the fire with roasted green onions...


Fabulous smoking action! Olive oil baste eggplant with pungent Rosemary and seasoned with salt from the shores of France burnt to a fantastic crisp, accompanied with balsamic drenched leeks and pepper crusted Italian squash!





Sweet yellow onion roasted in it's own juice ala Mexican style:


Burn baby burn... So delicious, sprinkled with a little lemon juice, oh yeah!



A feast for the char gods, throw some peaches on that grill and douce them with a white tangy balsamic vinegar for an extra punch:



Great grilling action:


Yeah!:



Grill away!

- Posted using mobile cam.. Eating and blogging on the go, excuse spelling mistakes :)

Wonderul sushi--- Hillcrest

Another visit to the local sushi shops noticed a gradual improvement in wonderful. With 30 percent off on all rolls, a second stop was in order.

Spicy tuna rolls were standard, fresh with a creamy wasabi and semi sweet Ginger:


The halibut and red snapper nigiri were prepared fresh:


The caterpillar roll was interestingly modified. The strips of unagi were not on the outside but stuffed in the middle with excess avocado on the outside:


Improvements are noticed, but some way to go..

- Posted using mobile cam.. Eating and blogging on the go, excuse spelling mistakes :)

Spicy polenta

Polenta when done right is fantastic, sometimes creamy or grilled with flavorful garlic and olive oil. At other times, it's a big disappointment as it tastes literally of cornmeal.

With a little tomatoe, olive oil and chipotle sauce, plain old polenta can be brought up to a satisfying meal:


Sprinkle a little protein powder and a meal in and of itself.

- Posted using mobile cam.. Eating and blogging on the go, excuse spelling mistakes :)

Bankers hill - SD

A fantastic new addition to bankers hill area is Bankers Hill restaurant and Bar.

Very urban industrial chic and lofty with exposed wood beams, dark low voltage lightbulbs and exposure of metals brings a bit of change to the SD scene.

With an interior of tables each with distinct chairs (school chairs, bar chairs, pub chairs), the interior has 3 separate eating areas. A unique outdoor space enclosed within walls also provides for a unique dining experience.

And onto the food... Overall fabulous.

Deciles eggs with a spicy mustard and peppery filling, topped with bacon bits and shoestring fries... Fantastic way to get your protein:


The arugula and peach salad with goat cheese harmonized very well:


The heirloom tomatoe salad... Finally, good tomatoes, with burrata cheese and olive oil pesto was delicious:


The BBQ pork tacos were crispy with an outer coating of paprika, sweet juicy and flavorful... Yum:


And for the carnivores: the flat iron steak rubbed with pepper, bacon and mushrooms with twice cooked potatoes and French green beans was carnivoricious!


With a chronic cellars Zinfandel and petite syrah blend from paso Robles, succulently spicy and robust:


And rachel's special dessert, was roasted plums in cardamon cake, fresh raspberries and ice cream:


Looking forward to trying out the rest of the menu!

- Posted using mobile cam.. Eating and blogging on the go, excuse spelling mistakes :)

La jolla beach & tennis club

For all the sun soakers, tennis afficionados, this private beach front property has fantastic seclusion in La jolla shores.

Slipbackd, flip flops and that favorite Ralph Lauren polo are the attire for casual wine and dines or beach bbqs.




Herb roasted chicken, tender, succulent and gamey, marinading in a mushroom sauce with broccolini.

Arugula and pear salad with goat cheese and candied walnuts:


Perfectly poached pear was phenomenal.

Layer cake Shiraz and the sounds of the waves hitting the shore made for a fabulous rendezvous.

- Posted using mobile cam.. Eating and blogging on the go, excuse spelling mistakes :)

Pizza.. What's the favorite

Pizza is an extremely diverse staple. From thin crust specialties, to flatbreads topped with just about everything and the classic Chicago deep dish heart attack, what are the favorite pizza spots in Sd?

There's pizza fusion in Hillcrest that has multigrain and whole hearty flavors such as BBQ chicken and farmers market veggies. Theres's also Bronx pizza on Washington that claims it uses special water (i.e. Unfiltered NY tap water... Lol) to give the crust that special doughy yet firm taste...

Well the hunt is on.


Corn crusted base with spinach, roasted tomatoes, Romano and chives made for a special evening pizza.

Delfina in SF tops the charts as well as Little STar, street pizza in NY, curry dusted pizza bianco in Florence Italy and roasted eggplant and kalamata olive flatbread in Greece... Cast your vote!



- Posted using mobile cam.. Eating and blogging on the go, excuse spelling mistakes :)

Grills up--FM Hillcrest

Waking up the aromatic smells of frilled meats is a fantastic reminder that summers abound, despite the gloominess.

Sultans grilling station at thefarmers market had juicy enticing thick burgers and chicken cooking away:





Freshly grilled chicken, wrapped up in a pita bread with onions hot sauce and yoghurt sauce made for a delightful bite:




- Posted using mobile cam.. Eating and blogging on the go, excuse spelling mistakes :)

Bite -SD

Back again for another sampling of bites at Bite. Barefoot specials for Pride had the heat definately building up in the room literally.

Whether it was the overwhelming weekend festivities or the new crowds, the food timing was a bit off this time. Nonetheless, new dishes were sampled.




A little amuse busch, spread goat cheese, tomatoe and crostini with alfalfa sprouts... The sprouts are a bit confusing and make a mess, but begin to wet the appetite.

The Japanese eggplant and beet carpaccio with chived goat cheese was great as always:



The onion tart was an interesting flatbread onion topped pastry, tasty and delicious but a twist on the classic French onion tart:


The seared ahi encrusted with black and white sesame seeds and sliced apples was delicious..devoured before a full pic could be taken!


The flatbread with an interesting dip of red pepper hummus with goat cheese and olive tapenade


Pomme frittes were devoured instantly:




The duck confit salad was a great salad, although the duck was shredded throughout the mix, tasty and tender but presentation wise was a little unexpected:


The squash blossoms, a lightly panko crusted and filled with a basil cream sauce were definately a hit:


The lamb meatballs were a force of mama's nature all on it's own.. Topped with a polenta hat and a bit of greens, fabulous:



A peach sorbet with succulent plums cleansed the palette on this celebratory event:


A panna cotta dessert was interestingly reminiscent of a brûlée without the charred sugar topping or a custard, good but not a panna cotta..wild strawberries packed with flavor:


With a mixture of flavors, small big bites and good hearty plates that were meant to be shared, family style sampling, fork fighting and a few surprises are always to be expected..

- Posted using mobile cam.. Eating and blogging on the go, excuse spelling mistakes :)